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LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers goes up for a shot ahead of Herbert Jones and CJ McCollum of the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. We're looking at the Lakers star in our LeBron James NBA player props.
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers goes up for a shot ahead of Herbert Jones and CJ McCollum of the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images via AFP.

With the Los Angeles Lakers taking on the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA Play-In Tournament opener on Wednesday, we are analyzing our LeBron James NBA player prop bets using the top NBA odds available.

The Los Angeles Lakers, with a record of 47-35 and previously favored in the NBA Play-In Tournament, will take on the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center. This crucial No. 8 vs. No. 7 seed matchup is set for a 7:30 p.m. ET tip on Tuesday, with the Pelicans holding a slight 1-point favorite status at top sports betting sites.

We analyzed our top NBA player props and recommended bets for the Lakers vs. Pelicans game, focusing on the matchup between James and Williamson. Can James lead his team to an upset victory against the Pelicans?

Check out our top prop bets for LeBron James in the upcoming Lakers vs. Pelicans game, with odds from our preferred NBA betting sites. Confidence level is rated on a scale of one to five stars.

Predictions for NBA player props for LeBron James

  • LeBron James to score under 27.5 points (-115 odds on bet365) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Bet on LeBron James to have more than 9.5 assists at +116 odds on FanDuel. This bet receives a three-star rating.
  • Bet365 has odds of -155 for LeBron James to have over 3.5 turnovers with a four-star rating.

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LeBron James player props

LeBron James to score under 27.5 points (-115 odds on bet365) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Despite his seemingly ageless performance, James’ scoring average this season fell below 26 points, compared to over 28 points in the previous two years with the Lakers. This decline may continue against the Pelicans, who have the seventh-best defensive rating in the NBA (112.9) and rank eighth in points allowed (110.7).

The line at bet365 for James’ point total is particularly attractive compared to other top sports betting apps, as they offer similar odds for the Under but set the line at 26.5 or even 25.5.

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According to our odds calculator, James has a 53.49% chance of hitting the Under with -115 odds. A $10 bet on him falling short of 28 points would result in a profit of $8.70.

We would also consider betting the under with odds as low as -125 against New Orleans. The Pelicans have allowed the seventh-fewest points in the NBA to small forwards in 2026 (19.47), and James has only scored over 27.5 points in 25 of 71 games this season (35%). Additionally, James will be facing tough defense from Herbert Jones, who is a candidate for the NBA All-Defense team.

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LeBron James is predicted to have over 9.5 assists with odds of +116 on FanDuel, earning a three-star rating.

James has seen a decrease in his scoring for the 2026 season, but he has compensated for it by stepping up as a playmaker for his teammates. He is currently averaging over eight assists per game, marking the first time he has achieved this since the 2019-20 season.

In his 21-year NBA career, James has never averaged more than 8.3 assists per game in a season, tying his personal best. Although he may struggle to score against New Orleans, his exceptional passing abilities can compensate for it. Additionally, he recently recorded a remarkable 17 assists in a game against the Pelicans.

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The Pelicans are ranked in the lower half of the NBA for assists allowed per game (26.8) and they give up the eighth highest number of assists per game to small forwards (4.39). James’ assists prop bet is available at 8.5 at our top sportsbooks, with odds as low as -140.

The odds suggest there is a 58.33% chance that the 20-time All-Star will end with at least nine assists, but we believe he will reach ten. If James achieves 10 assists, a $10 wager will result in an $11.60 profit with +116 odds on FanDuel.

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Bet365 has set the line for LeBron James having over 3.5 turnovers at -155, with a four-star rating.

Initially, these odds may not appear to be a worthwhile bet. With -155 odds, a $10 bet would only yield a $6.45 profit if James commits more than 3.5 turnovers. However, the -161 odds on the same proposition at BetMGM suggest a 61.73% chance that he will have at least four turnovers, and we are highly certain that the experienced player will do so against New Orleans.

James is maintaining his career average of 3.5 turnovers per game in the 2026-24 season. However, he has been struggling with turnovers recently, recording four or more in nine of his last 11 games, averaging 4.5 turnovers per game during that stretch. The Pelicans, who are one of the league’s top teams at forcing turnovers, are likely contributing to James’ struggles.

The Pelicans force opponents to turn the ball over at the sixth-highest rate in the league, averaging 14.2 turnovers per game. New Orleans also ranks third in the NBA for steals per game with 8.3. Leading the team in steals is Jones, who averages 1.4 steals per game. Thanks to Jones’ defensive efforts, the Pelicans are able to cause an average of 2.47 turnovers per game against small forwards, which is the sixth-best mark in the NBA.

LeBron James made his player prop picks on Tuesday at 1:20 p.m. ET.

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